Jobs & Careers: Bascoe ‘Katcheye’ with crochet designs

“Use yuh hand mek fashion” is a mantra that Tasheika Bascoe seeks to embody as she plies her wares as a crochet designer.

Bascoe, who attended the National Hairdresser Association Expo for the first time, left a good impression on potential customers as she ensured that her crochet designs were eye-catching.

The 29-year-old owner of Katcheye said she has been crocheting for the past 15 years, but it was only a year ago that she decided to start a formal business. At the expo, Bascoe paraded her crocheted swimwear, slippers and earrings, which were a hit with patrons.

“It is my first time at the expo. It is nice, persons are curious about what I do and how I do it, so it is good exposure. I make anything – skirt, blouse, shorts – in crochet and people are into it. Crochet, for me, is a form of meditation because you have to keep focused, it helps me to keep calm,” she told THE STAR.

Bascoe added that she was led to start her business after constantly getting compliments from family and friends on her designs.

“A lady by the name of Monica Howell taught me. I did it for my own personal pleasure at first. Persons always see me in my day-to-day slippers and jewellery and compliment me about it, but it was just since last year that I went in business. I started using Instagram to showcase my designs and people started ordering,” she said.

This is not the first time she is venturing into the business world, but after dabbling in the marketing arena for some time, she believes she has a better grasp of what is needed to make a business survive. She is a firm believer in old fashions becoming new again, and with that thought in mind, she said that her business will survive in this era.

“Dem normally say old time something come back again, so it is trending now. People want swimwear, they want clothes they want slippers, so my niche is out there. Young persons would buy the swimwear but older persons would go for a slipper or earring. It is not my first time in business but it is my first time taking on clothing. I used to own a stationery store but I stopped because I lost my zeal for it and decided to work with what I love instead,” she said.